howard



Jan. 31, 1956 T. B. HOWARD TOY DUMP TRUCKS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Sept. 25, 1953 IN V EN TOR.

Jan. 31. 1956 'r. B. HOWARD TOY DUMP TRUCKS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Sept. 25, 1953 WNW . INVENTOR. TUL A/VE B. HOWALQO,

7720M0zq150207wz. 1* 49m 4 77'02/VEYS- TOY DUMP TRUCKS Tulane B. Howard, Washington, D. C. Application September 25, 1953, Serial No. 382,253 3 Claims. ,(Cl. 46- 210) This invention relates to toy trucks, and more particularly to an improved toy dump truck.

The main object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved toy dump truck which is simple in construction, which is easy to operate, and which is arranged so that the body thereof andtail gate are simultaneously rotated responsive to the elevation of the truck body to dumping position.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved toy dump truck which is inexpensive to manufacture, which is durable in construction, which is attractive in appearance, and which is arranged so that it may be simply towed by a child, or may be operated for dumping the contents thereof by a simple manual movement of the childs fingers.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description and claims, and from the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view, partly in vertical longitudinal cross section, of an improved toy dump truck constructed in accordance with the present invention.

Figure 2 is a bottom plan view of the dump truck shown in Figure 1.

Figure 3 is an enlarged vertical cross sectional detail view taken on the line 3--3 of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is an enlarged vertical cross sectional detail view taken on the line 44 of Figure 2. v

Figure 5 is a fragmentary side elevational view of a modified form of toy dump truck according to the present invention.

Referring to the drawings, and more particularly to Figures 1 to 4, the toy dump truck is designated generally at 11 and comprises a wheel frame 12, said frame comprising a main portion 13 of sheet metalor the like, said portion 13 being formed with the depending side flanges 14, 14 through which rotatably extend the transverse front and rear axles 15 and 16. The respective axles 15 and 16 are provided with the front wheels 17, 17 and the rear wheels 18, 18. The wheels 17 and 1d are rotatably mounted on the axles 15, 15, said axles being rigidly secured to the depending side flanges 14,714.

Secured to the rear corner portions of the rectangular frame 12 are the upstanding, vertical flange elements 19, 19, said flange elements being connected by the transverse vertical frame wall 20 which abuts the rear transverse edge of the frame body 13. As shown in Figure 1, the

rear axle 16 extends through the upstanding flange elements 19, as well as the depending side flanges 14 of frame '12.

Designated at 21 is the truck body, said body being generally rectangular in shape and having the bottom 'wall 22, said bottom wall being formed with respective longitudinal slots 23 through which extend the top portions 24 of the respective upstanding flanges 19. As shown in Figure 1, the rear edge of each top portion 24 is arcuately curved, as shown at 25, to allow the truck body 21 to pivot around the upstanding forward edge portion 26 of the element 24 from the full line or horizontal position of the truck body 21 shown in Figure 1 to the dotted line position thereof or position in which the forward portion thereof slopes upwardly with respect to the frame 12. Each portion 24 is provided with the twisted top lug 27, serving to prevent the body 21 from becoming disengaged from the respective upstanding flanges 19. The rear edges of the flanges 19 are formed the stop lugs 28 cooperating with the bottom wall 22 of body 21 to limit rotation of body 21 in a counterclockwise direction, as viewed in Figure 1, namely, to limit rotation of the body 21'from its normal position to its elevated, dumping position.

The body 13 of frame 12 is formed with the upstruck abutment member 29 which is formed at its end with the horizontal flange, 30, defining a support for the forward portion of body 21, when said body is in its normal position, the body 21 being thereby supported in a substantially horizontal position, as shown in Figure I. Said body 21 is biased toward said horizontal position by a coiled spring 31 which connects the bottom wall of the body 21 to the rear edge 32 of the aperture 33 defined in frame body 13 by striking abutment element 29 upwardly.

The truck body 21 is provided at its rear end with the swingable tail gate 34, said tail gate being provided at the upper end portions of its side edges with the outwardly extending hooked lugs 35, 35 which pivotally engage in respective apertures 36 provided in the side walls of the truck body adjacent the upper rear corners thereof. The tail gate 34 is provided with a depending portion 37 which normally projects a substantial distance below the plane of the bottom Wall of the body 21. Designated at 38 is a link bar provided at one end with a loop 39 which is pivotally connected to the depending element 37 of tail gate 34, the other end of the link bar 38 being pivotally connected to the lower portion of the transverse vertical rear wall element 20. As shown in Figure 3, the rod 33 is provided with an enlarged, substantially spherical abutment portion 40 which limits movement of the rod 33 through an aperture 41 provided in the lower portion of transverse vertical Wall element Zil and is provided at its end with a transversely extending abutment element 42 preventing rearward withdrawal of the rod 38 from aperture 41.

Secured to the bottom of the frame 12 and extending longitudinally thereof, namely, secured to the bottom surface of the frame body 13, is the flexible tubular sheath 43, said sheath extending through a suitable bushing 4.4 provided at the forward end of the frame 12, said sheath extending a substantial distance forwardly of said frame. As shown in Figure 3, the rear end of the sheath 43 is secured to the intermediate portion of the rear axle 16; Rigidly secured to the forward end of the sheath 43 is the rigid rectangular handle loop 45. Extending slidably through the sheath 43 is the flexible cable 46, said cable extending over a grooved pulley 47 journaled in a bracket 42; secured to the rear end of the frame 12, as shown in Figure 3, the cable 46 being secured to the rear portion of bottom wall 22 of the truck body 21. The forward end of the cable 46 extends into the hand loop 45 and has secured thereto the transverse bar member 49 which transversely overlies the hand loop 45 and is slidable movable therealong.

As shown in Figure 2, the bar 38 is bifurcated in shape and the cable 4d extends through the legs of said bifurcated link rod, whereby the cable is guided by the link rod, and whereby, conversely, the link rod is guided cooperatively by the cable. v

ltwill be readily apparent that when the transverse bar member 49 is moved forwardly along the handle loop 45, namely, from its full line position shown in Figure 1 to its dotted line position, the cable 46 exerts a pull on the rear portion of the truck body 21, causing said body to be rotated counterclockwise, as viewed in Figure 1, namely, from its full line position to its dotted line position. Simultaneously, the link rod 38 causes the tail gate 34 of the truck body to be rotated from its closed position to the open position thereof shown in dotted view in Figure 1, allowing the contents of the truck to be discharged. When the transverse bar member 49 is released, the spring 31 returns the truck body 21 to its normal horizontal position, and at the same time, the link rod 38 causes the tail gate 34 to swing to its closed position, shown in full line view in Figure 1.

In the modified form of the invention shown in Figure 5, the end of the cable 46 is connected to the lower end 57 of a lever member 58 which is rotatably mounted on the rear axle 16. The upper arm of the lever 58 engages the bottom wall of the truck body 21. As is clearly apparent from Figure 5, a pull on the cable 46 causes the lever member 58 to be rotated counterclockwise, as viewed in Figure 5, causing the forward portion of the truck body 21 to be elevated, and causing said truck body to be rotated from its normal position, shown in Figure 5, to its dumping position, the tail gate being simultaneously opened by the action of the link rod 38, as described in connection with the first form of the invention above disclosed.

While certain specific embodiments of an improved toy dump truck have been disclosed in the foregoing description, it will be understood that various modifications within the spirit of the invention may occur to those skilled in the art. Therefore, it is intended that no limitations be placed on the invention except as defined by the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

l. A toy dump truck comprising a wheeled frame including pending side flanges, an upstanding flange element secured to each of said side flanges adjacent the rear portion thereof, a vertical frame wall positioned transversely between said upstanding flange elements and connecting the latter together, an upstanding abutment member carried by said frame side flanges intermediate the ends thereof, a truck body having a bottom wall positioned horizontally and extending longitudinally of said frame and having the forward portion resting upon said abutment member, the top portions of said upstanding flange elements extending through said bottom wall and being within said truck body and above said bottom wall, said top portions of said upstanding flange elements being constructed so as to connect said truck body to said flange elements for movement of said truck body from its horizontal position to a position in which the forward portion of said truck body slopes upwardly with respect to said frame, spring means biasing the forward portion of said body toward said abutment member, a tailgate hinged to the rear portion of said truck body for outward swinging movement relative to said body, said tailgate having a portion normally depending below said truck body, link means connecting said last named portion to the rear portion of said frame, a guide sleeve secured longitudinally to said frame, and a flexible cable extending through said sleeve, one end of said cable being connected to the rear portion of said body for elevating said body responsive to a force exerted on said cable.

2. A toy dump truck comprising a wheeled frame including depending side flanges, an upstanding flange element secured to each of said side flanges adjacent the rear portion thereof, a vertical frame wall positioned transversely between said upstanding flange elements and connecting the latter together, an upstanding abutment member carried by said frame side flanges intermediate the ends thereof, a truck body having a bottom wall positioned horizontally and extending longitudinally of said frame and having the forward portion resting upon said abutment member, the top portions of said upstanding flange elements extending through said bottom wall and being within said truck body and above said bottom wall, the top portions of said upstanding flange elements being constructed so as to connect said truck body to said flange elements for movement of said truck body from its horizontal position to a position in which the forward portion of said truck body slopes upwardly with respect to said frame, stop lugs on the rear edges of said top portions of said upstanding flange elements and engageable with the adjacent portions of the truck body bottom wall for limiting the movement of said truck body to its position in which the forward portion slopes upwardly, spring means biasing the forward portion of said body toward said abutment member, a tailgate hinged to the rear portion of said truck body for outward swinging movement relative to said body, said tailgate having a portion normally depending below said truck body, link means connecting said lastnamed portion to the rear portion of said frame, a guide sleeve secured longitudinally to said frame, and a flexible cable extending through said sleeve, one end of said cable being connected to the rear portion of said body for elevating said body responsive to a force exerted on said cable.

3. A toy dump truck comprising a wheeled frame including depending side flanges, an upstanding flange element secured to each of said side flanges adjacent the rear portion thereof, a vertical frame wall positioned transversely between said upstanding frame elements and connecting the latter together, an upstanding abutment member carried by said frame side flanges intermediate the ends thereof, a truck body having a bottom wall positioned horizontally and extending longitudinally of said frame and having the forward portion resting upon said abutment member, the top portions of said upstanding flange elements extending through said bottom wall and being within said truck body and above said bottom wall, said top portions of said upstanding flange elements being constructed so as to connect said truck body to said flange elements for movement of said truck body from its horizontal position to a position in which the forward portion of said truck body slopes upwardly with respect to said frame, spring means biasing the forward portion of said body toward said abutment member, a tailgate hinged to the rear portion of said truck body for outward swinging movement relative to said body, said tailgate having a portion normally depending below said truck body, link means connecting said last named portion to the rear portion of said frame, a flexible guide sleeve secured longitudinally to the bottom of said frame and extending a substantial distance forwardly therefrom, a rigid rectangular handle loop secured to the end of said sleeve, a flexible cable extending slidably through said sleeve, one end of said cable being connected to the rear portion of said body for elevating said body responsive to a force exerted on said cable, and a bar member secured transversely to the other end of said cable and overlying said handle loop.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,390,122 Gilbert et al. Sept. 6, 1921 1,595,510 Fisher Aug. 10, 1926 1,797,471 Jones Mar. 24, 1931 2,172,416 Swenson Sept. 12, 1939 2,213,385 Dailey Sept. 3, 1940 FOREIGN PATENTS 633,439 Great Britain Dec. 19, 1949 

